Life can be a rollercoaster, but Frankie Muniz is trying to stay hopeful.
The Emmy-nominated actor and "Malcolm in the Middle" star, who recently split from his wife of nearly six years, Paige Price, opened up about his personal struggles in an emotional social media post Friday, Sept. 18.
"The last six weeks of my life have been a nightmare I'm praying to wake up from," Muniz, 40, wrote alongside a photo of himself sitting pensively in a chair. "Everything felt heavy, unclear and like it was falling apart at the same time. I wouldn't wish this season on anyone."
The former couple, who were married since 2019, revealed their separation in a July 1 post, with Muniz writing that they'd made the decision after a "period of separation that we kept
private."
Muniz did not discuss his divorce in the lengthy post, but he said the "unexpected gift" of his troubles is that he's "had nowhere to hide."
"I've had time to sit with myself, do real self-reflection and finally see the areas of my life that need work if I want to become a better version of me," Muniz wrote. "Not the polished version I show the world…the actual one."
Muniz, a former child star best known for his early 2000s roles in "Big Fat Liar" and "Agent Cody Banks," reprised his iconic title character in "Malcolm" for the Hulu reboot miniseries "Malcolm in the Middle: Life's Still Unfair," which premiered in April.
The actor is also a star on the racetrack, having competed in several racecar competitions since 2004.
In 2021, more than a decade after a season-ending injury, Muniz returned to stock car racing with the SRL Pro Late Model series, followed by appearances in the ARCA Menards Series in 2022 and 2023. He currently competes in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 33 Ford F-150 for Team Reaume.
"I read that sometimes, hitting rock bottom is the thing that wakes you up," Muniz wrote. "It forces the changes you needed to make all along so you can live the best life possible. That idea has been sitting with me. In five years, I believe I'll look back at this exact low point and feel grateful for it because the high I'll be standing on then only exists because I went through this."
Muniz remained optimistic about his personal growth, adding that "this isn't the end of the story."
"It's the part where I start doing the work…the uncomfortable, unglamorous, necessary work," Muniz concluded. "I'm choosing to treat this season as the foundation, not the finish line. If you're in a low place right now too, you're not broken. You're being rebuilt. Let's keep going!"
Contributing: Brendan Morrow and KiMi Robinson, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Frankie Muniz opens up about 'hitting rock bottom' in emotional post
